The 23rd Spanish Film Festival brings theater and film masterpieces to Red Carpet Cinema from October 5 to 13

Shangri-La Plaza continues its inspired tradition of showcasing the best films from around the world as it presents the 23rd edition of the PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival at the Red Carpet Cinema from October 5 to 13. With over 20 full-length and short films in the lineup, the festival remains the most important platform for Spanish-language cinema not only in the Philippines, but also in Southeast Asia.

Made possible in partnership with Instituto Cervantes de Manila, Embassy of Spain in Manila, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation or AECID, and Film Development Council of the Philippines, PELÍCULA 2024 features a repertoire of Spanish dance and opera productions, dramas, documentaries, even Filipino short films, and more inspired storytelling that will resonate even more powerfully in the immersive setting of the Red Carpet Cinema.

The festival will open with Carmen, a ballet-opera masterpiece produced by the world-renowned Teatro Real in Madrid. It features flamenco legend Antonio Gades who helped bring the genre to the international stage. It is part of the festival’s Creadores Teatrales, a special section that highlights three other filmed productions that feature the expressive power of Spanish dance and theater: Fuenteovejuna, El amor brujo, and El público.

Another notable film in the lineup is Robot Dreams, an award-winning animated feature by Pablo Berger. Audiences can look forward to powerful documentaries like Benito Pérez Buñuel by Luis Roca and Hispanoamérica, canto de vida y esperanza by José Luis López Linares. Captivating dramas such as La estrella azul by Javier Macipe and Cerrar los ojos by Víctor Erice, along with Dani de la Orden’s black comedy Casa en llamas, will also be showcased.

The selection also features Latin American films like the Argentine comedy Puan by María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat, Brazil’s Pacarrete by Allan Deberton, and Panama’s Las hijas by Kattia Zúñiga, ensuring a diverse and enriching cinematic experience.

PELÍCULA also celebrates the rich cultural ties between Spain and the Philippines through En corto, a segment dedicated to showcasing short films from both countries. Here audiences can catch Filipino shorts like Sonny Calvento’s comedy Primetime Mother and Kyla Romero’s romantic drama Transients.

Continuing a beloved tradition, the Spanish Film Festival will feature its Audience Choice Awards, where cinephiles are invited to rate the films immediately after watching them. The film with the highest score will be honored with the Audience Choice Award and will enjoy a special encore screening on October 15, as the festival’s grand finale.

All screenings are free of charge. Films will be shown in Spanish or their original language with English subtitles.

Celebrate the beauty of Spain’s artistic expressions—from theatrical to cinematic—at PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival at Shangri-La Plaza’s Red Carpet Cinema from October 5 to 13.

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